The newest board of the Drumheller & District Agricultural Society is looking forward to this year, with site improvements and a variety of events scheduled.
Despite its hurdles, the local non-profit Ag Society seems to have its nose to the grindstone in getting things done. A casino fundraiser put $10,000 in the bank for the society, and they’re working on improving the grounds with a spring cleaning blitz that includes painting, and generating new ideas for adding some revenue.
“We’re in the midst of putting together a sponsor package to help fund some of this (projects/events),” said Ag Society President Bryan Telford.
Telford said they are working on events to get the public’s interest back into the barn.
First Vice-President Rhonda Gill has been working on securing bookings for a Spring Fair for the barn, similar to the Christmas fair held there this past December.
“I was approached by people (vendors), so decided to try something different,” she explained, adding the Ag Society has a few different committees working on projects.
In addition to a number of weddings, the stampede grounds this year will be hosting the RCMP Musical Ride in July, the “Loud As Hell” metal concerts for September long weekend, BCA pool finals, and four dates for the stock cars. The “Boogie in the Badlands” car show is scheduled again for the downtown core in May. Earlier this week, the society learned “Tough Mudders” is coming to Drumheller and the Society will be a host partner.
Telford said they’re working with the chuckwagons, but they can’t get a date set, and they’re also wanting to schedule miniature bulls for the August long weekend.
The miniature bulls are a smaller version of the actual rodeo bulls for youth aged 7 to 17. Telford said he was thinking about mutton busting at the same time as they would go hand in hand, but it depends on dates and dollars to get it off the ground.
“What would the area like to see? What would interest them to come up here?” Telford asks.
He would appreciate community input and encourages people to email their ideas to him at b.telford@hotmail.com.
